A food distribution company aiming to create 150 new jobs as part of a £6 million expansion has clinched two major schools contracts worth over £2 million.

Harlech Foodservice has a new £1.5 million contract to provide schools in Gwynedd with a range of products including Welsh beef – following up its first Gwynedd contract which was signed in 2022 – as well as landing a £700,000, 12-month agreement to supply schools and care homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Harlech, whose headquarters is near Criccieth, has an overall £6 million plan to create 150 new jobs as part of a major expansion and they hope the Rhondda Cynon Taf deal will be the first of many.

The Gwynedd contract covers all the schools in Gwynedd, including Ysgol Llanystumdwy – where former Prime Minister David Lloyd George went – just down the road from Harlech’s HQ.

Their head cook Alison Green and the 28 pupils gave Harlech the thumbs up with Alison saying: “It’s great that we’ve got a local company supplying us from literally just up the road so the deliveries are great.”

Ursula Scurrah-Price, Harlech Account Manager for Gwynedd, added: “It’s great that the closest school to our headquarters is supplied by us as.

“Now that free schools meals are available to all pupils we would like to encourage as many as possible to take them up.

“As a north Wales firm it’s very important to us that the quality and nutritious value of the meals in schools is as high as possible and that only the best quality is used and we work closely with Gwynedd and other councils to ensure that is the case.”

Harlech now have contracts with all six North Wales councils to supply schools and they hope the Rhondda Cynon Taf deal will be the first of many with South Wales authorities.

Over the next three to five years the firm’s £6 million expansion plan will enable the company to create 100 jobs at its headquarters site and 50 jobs elsewhere.

Sales Director Mark Lawton said: “The renewal of the Gwynedd contract and our first major public sector deal in South Wales with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council enables us to demonstrate the range of products we can supply and the excellent service we provide.

“We now have a real presence right across Wales and I know the Welsh public sector has a desire to using Welsh suppliers whenever commercially possible.”